Our Purpose
The SMaHT project would not be possible without the generous donor families who have provided such precious gifts to support this important work. We are grateful to them and their loved one’s legacy.
Genes are the instructions our cells use for building and repairing our bodies and controlling our day-to-day vital functions. Scientists know that certain gene changes change the normal instructions in a cell. When a cell’s normal instructions are changed, the changes can impact normal organ function or increase a person’s risk of diseases like cancer or heart disease. But, scientists don’t yet know exactly how the somatic (or non-inherited) gene changes do this or how to find these changes in a person’s body.
Research like the SMaHT project could help us understand more about people’s gene changes that are not passed down from their parents. The SMaHT project offers incredible potential for helping scientists discover how to treat and prevent many devastating diseases. Researchers in the SMaHT project are also trying to find better ways of finding gene changes early when they happen, so we can hopefully prevent some diseases in the future.
Key Goals
Sample Collection
The SMaHT project will collect samples from multiple types of tissues and organs from each donor to examine gene changes. The tissues and organs will be physically stored in a Biobank, which will preserve the donated samples from many people for current and future research.
Scientific Analysis
Scientists will analyze the donated tissues and organs to understand the donor’s unique genetic makeup, including their somatic (or non-inherited) gene changes. Donors’ genetic information will be stored in an anonymous genetic Database that also includes some information about the donor’s medical/clinical history. Storing donors’ genetic information in a genetic Database will create an important resource for scientists to help them understand patterns of gene changes across many donors’ different tissues.
Genetic Database and Biobank
The genetic Database and Biobank will be available to approved researchers for use in multiple research studies. This will provide scientists with data that will help them investigate how gene changes in different tissues can impact disease, such as how gene changes in the heart impact heart function or the risk of developing heart disease. In addition, it will help scientists create new tools to detect gene changes better. Finally, making the Database and Biobank available to approved researchers for multiple research studies will help scientists from around the world work together to speed up discoveries that could improve medical science and medical treatments in the future.